Rabbi Yoram Cohen Seeks to Delay Rabbi Aryeh Deri’s Oath Ceremony Over Election Dispute

Rabbi Yoram Cohen, who lost the Beersheba rabbinate election to Rabbi Aryeh Deri by a single vote, has formally requested a delay in Deri’s oath-taking ceremony as a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council. Through his attorney Ilan Bombach, Cohen petitioned the President’s legal advisor to postpone the ceremony until the legal challenge he filed against the election results is resolved. The Beersheba rabbinate election took place on February 8, with Deri receiving 26 votes and Cohen 25. Cohen claims procedural flaws in the election and has petitioned the Supreme Court, with a hearing scheduled for September 7.

Cohen’s legal team noted that only after a request from the State Attorney’s Office on August 16 did Cohen learn that Deri had not yet signed the oath before the President, a legal requirement for assuming the council position. Despite media reports presenting Deri as a council member, Cohen argues that holding the oath ceremony before the court ruling undermines the legal process and raises questions about the premature use of the title. The petition asks for the matter to be reviewed by the Attorney General’s office to assess any legal implications.

Cohen urges the President to refrain from conducting the oath ceremony until the Supreme Court has ruled and the legal review is complete. It is important to note that these claims are part of ongoing legal proceedings and no judicial or enforcement authority has found any wrongdoing by Rabbi Deri.